News

Washington, D.C. – July 20, 2020: The U.S. Department of State recently published its monthly Visa Bulletin for August, 2020.

Employment Based Green Cards

The August, 2020 visa bulletin shows some positive movement forward for most Employment-based categories and significant movement forward for EB-1 China and India. The upcoming visa bulletin confirms that EB-5 India will remain current in August of 2020. As previously reported, according to Charles Oppenheim, the Chief of Visa Control and Reporting at the U.S Department of State, EB-5 India is likely to remain Current for the foreseeable future. EB-5 China saw movement forward from 07/22/2015 to 08/08/2015. The Dates for Filing Charts (“Chart B”) for both India and China remained unchanged from last month’s visa bulletin.

The EB-1 category progressed nearly 6-months forward for China to 02/08/2018 and nearly nine-months forward for India to 02/08/2018. For EB-2 visas, Chinese applicants saw modest movement from last month’s bulletin to 01/15/2016 while Indian applicants saw the category remained unchanged at July 8, 2009. All other countries will remain current in the EB-2 category.

USCIS has not yet confirmed whether individuals filing for adjustment of status in August of 2020 must use the Final Action Dates chart (“Chart A”) of or the Dates for Filing Chart (“Chart B”). This information is provided by USCIS on a monthly basis on their website here: https://www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo

As reported at donosolaw.com, EB-5 visas were exempted from the President’s 60-day suspension of immigration to the US beginning on April 23 2020, as were other employment-based green cards for health care professionals.

Family-Based Green Cards

In the family-based green card categories, the August, 2020 Visa Bulletin confirms modest movement forward for all countries in the F-1 Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens Category. The August, 2020 Visa Bulletin also reports that green cards by Lawful Permanent Residents for their spouses and children under age 21 remains current. This category, however, is impacted by the President’s 60-day suspension of immigration to the U.S. for individuals applying for green cards outside the U.S. via consular processing.

Presidential Proclamation Extended:

President Trump’s proclamation temporarily suspending the entry of certain immigrants was extended on Wednesday, June 24, 2020, through December 31, 2020 and may be continued or modified as necessary. This proclamation will continue limit the issuance of certain immigrant visas by U.S. consulates abroad.

There have been several law suits filed against the Trump administration and U.S. immigration agencies in July of 2020 to enjoin this proclamation and limit its negative effects.

Donoso & Partners, a leading immigration law firm based in Washington, D.C., will continue to report on developments regarding the immigration law and policy through our news section of donosolaw.com.